Пуаро ведёт следствие
VIII. The Kidnapped Prime Minister
AsIwassaying,theymotoreddowntoWindsor,wherethePrimeMinisterwasgrantedanAudience.Earlythismorning,hereturnedtotown,anditwasonthewaythattheattemptedassassinationtookplace.”
“Onemoment,ifyouplease.WhoisthisCaptainDaniels?Youhavehisdossier?”
LordEstairsmiled.“Ithoughtyouwouldaskmethat.Wedonotknowverymuchofhim.Heisofnoparticularfamily.HehasservedintheEnglishArmy,andisanextremelyablesecretary,beinganexceptionallyfinelinguist.Ibelievehespeakssevenlanguages.ItisforthatreasonthatthePrimeMinisterchosehimtoaccompanyhimtoFrance.”
“HasheanyrelativesinEngland?”
“Twoaunts.AMrs.Everard,wholivesatHampstead,andaMissDaniels,wholivesnearAscot.”
“Ascot?ThatisneartoWindsor,isitnot?”
“Thatpointhasnotbeenoverlooked.Butithasledtonothing.”
“YouregardtheCapitaineDaniels,then,asabovesuspicion?”
AshadeofbitternesscreptintoLordEstair’svoice,ashereplied:
“No,MonsieurPoirot.Inthesedays,IshouldhesitatebeforeIpronouncedanyoneabovesuspicion.”
“Trèsbien.NowIunderstand,milord,thatthePrimeMinisterwould,asamatterofcourse,beundervigilantpoliceprotection,whichoughttorenderanyassaultuponhimanimpossibility?”
LordEstairbowedhishead.“Thatisso.ThePrimeMinister’scarwascloselyfollowedbyanothercarcontainingdetectivesinplainclothes.Mr.MacAdamknewnothingoftheseprecautions.Heispersonallyamostfearlessman,andwouldbeinclinedtosweepthemawayarbitrarily.
